The classical dances of India are essentially story-telling arts. Some of the names, such as Kathak and Kathakali, are even derived from the root word 'katha' meaning story. In fact the Natya Shastra in its chapter on the origin of dance describes how in the Treta yuga, the gods -- concerned at falling morals in the mortal world -- asked Brahma to create an edifying art that would not only provide lessons in ethics but also entertain the audience and practitioners. And who doesn't love a good story? So it was, says the author of the Natya Shastra, that Brahma devised the art of dance, culled from the essence of the four Vedas.
Anita Ratnam, one of India's most gifted artists, is an accomplished classical and contemporary dancer and choreographer.
